London (AFP)
Tokyo Olympics could be postponed later in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic, International Athletics Federation president Sebastian Coe acknowledged on Thursday, saying it was too early to make a decision definitive.
"It is possible, everything is possible now," said Coe, when asked by the BBC about a possible postponement of the JO-2020 (July 24-August 9) in the fall.
"I think the position that the world of sport has taken, and it is certainly the feeling that I had during our conversation with the IOC and other federations the other day, is that nobody says that we will go to the Games whatever happens, "added the boss of World Athletics.
"But it is not a decision that must be made today," he insisted.
If some voices have suggested a postponement of the Olympics for a year, according to Coe, who had played a key role in obtaining the London Olympics in 2012, this could be problematic.
"It may seem like an easy proposition, but international federations often avoid the Olympic years to organize their world championships," he said.
The Covid-19 pandemic is seriously disrupting the world sports calendar, and has already led to the postponement of Euro-2020 football to the summer of 2021 and the suspension of the tennis season.
But the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach said this week that the objective was still to keep the Games open until July 24.
While many athletes have expressed their concerns, the IOC admitted on Wednesday that there was no "ideal solution".
© 2020 AFP